Dark Layers Volume 1: Volume 1

by Gray, A L

  “Oh my God!” I say out loud with a face splitting smile.

  “Are you okay Miss?” The lady next to me asks worried.

  “Um, yes, sorry.” I reply embarrassed.

  I slowly sink into my blazer and smile to myself while covering my mouth. This is epic, and unbelievable!

  Once I arrive on Prescot Street, I almost fall off of the bus as I try to rush to the bar hoping Derek will be there waiting for me.

  "Steady on." The bus driver chants while laughing.

  "Thanks." I say laughing to myself.

  I manage to make it to the bar without another stumble. As soon as I push the door open, I'm hit with a strong smell of beer and musky carpets because the bar is empty and there are no people to mask the stench. Although I like beer - I drink it most of the time - this is extremely off putting. I perch myself up at the bar, admiring a joiners handy work. It must take forever to carve something of this magnitude, with all its perfectly crafted corners and Princess of Prussia symbols, prompting people to notice its elegance - and the final touch, matt polished earth brown to compliment the rest of the bar. It really is a gorgeous place and absolutely oozes old London charm - I just wish they would invest in some air fresheners and maybe open the curtains so we are not soaked in shadows of the darkness.

  I stare up at the clock upon the bar, it looks grander then Big Ben - Derek must be running late. I order a large glass of wine to get started on the night to come while I wait for him.

  “Rough day?” The bar tender, Jake, asks as he passes me my drink.

  “You have no idea, rough and unbelievable.”

  “Wanner talk about it?”

  “No, I don’t want to bore you to death.” I joke.

  My phone pings and my tummy has joined the Cirque De Soleil, swishing and swaying with excitement. I have an e-mail and I know it's from CB’s Law Firm. I quickly open it and I have to do a double take as I read it, oh no!

  From: CB’s Law Firm

  Date: 28/02/2012

  Subject: Job Offer

  To Miss Gooden.

  I am filled with regret to inform you that we have retracted the offer of your internship position. Your referee did not turn out as stated on your Curriculum Vitae and I am afraid we will not accept any candidate without a valid reference.

  If you can supply a disparate referee within the next hour, we would consider you for the position.

  Please accept my sincere apology. Good luck on your job search if we do not hear back from you.

  Kind Regards,

  CB’S Law Firm.

  I want the floor to open up and suck me in, just for a while! I beg.

  Although no one knows what has happened, my face starts to heat up as I feel embarrassed, this is just out of order. I often have day’s where my good luck comes in the same order with my bad luck but this one really is working on another level! Why didn’t my referee check out? It's from my university professor. That is bizarre.

  My phone starts to ring in my hand and I answer it deflated, seeing it's Darks Lawyers. What are they calling for? To fucking gloat! I sit hunched on the bar stool as I answer unaffected.

  “Yes.”

  “Miss Gooden?”

  “Yes.”

  “It is Ms. Prynne from Darks Lawyers.”

  “I know who it is, I have caller ID.”

  “I’m sorry, have I caught you at a bad time?”

  “No it’s okay. What can I do for you?” I now feel really bad for being clipped with Ms. Prynne, she really is so lovely and doesn't deserve my childish behaviour.

  “Well, I am simply calling to insure you did not want to take the internship before I filed your application?”

  Double crap! Do I really have another option? Maybe CB's Law Firm retracting their offer is secretly lucky, maybe God has other plans for me.

  “If the offer is still on the table, I would love the job please. Who will I be working with? As we did not get to cover any of the job description in the interview.”

  “You will be working with me for six months and then you will be reassessed Miss Gooden. This is unusual but two of Mr. Darks’ partners thought you had very sharp and intriguing answers in your interview and they want to give you a chance.”

  Her answer makes me smile like a Cheshire cat but also annoys me by the way she tells me ‘Mr. Darks' partners, not Mr. Darks personally.

  “Could you please thank Mr. Darks’ partners on my behalf. Will I be starting on Monday?”

  “Yes, Miss Gooden. Monday at nine a.m. Mr. Darks likes his employees to start early and please ensure you eat a balanced breakfast.”

  I smile at her eating suggestions - she sounds like my mother.

  “Thank you so much for waiting on me Ms. Prynne and see you Monday.”

  We hang up in sync and to be honest, I’m not sure if this will be a good thing or a bad thing. I'm apprehensive and nervous. I just cannot imagine what working there will be like. I hope to God that Bastard does not work there all the time; I doubt I would last a day!

  My IPhone pings with a text message. I glance at the screen but the number is unknown.

  From: Unknown

  Good luck with your job, I look forward to seeing you.

  Who the hell is that? Who the hell knows I just landed a job? I type a message back and read it three times before I press send. I have butterflies in my tummy for some reason.

  To: Unknown

  Thanks, who is this? and how did you get my number? x

  They reply almost instantly - holy crap!

  From: Unknown

  You're a smart girl, I am sure you can work it out. See you Monday. x

  My tummy's endlessly flipping - I need to know who it is, I will not bloody sleep tonight otherwise! It must be one of the partners from Darks Lawyers, maybe the guy who thought for me to have my internship? Maybe I should buy him a thank you present? Yes, I'll quickly pop out today and grab him something - a bottle of whiskey, every rich man loves whisky.

  While in my pool of thoughts, Derek swans through the door whistling to himself without a care in the world.

  “Hey Sweets, how you feeling?” He asks full of affection as he hugs me. He looks gorgeous in Chino jeans and his unruly sandy hair.

  “I’m good. You will not believe what has happened since I spoke to you.”

  “Go on,” he smiles looking intrigued, “can I have a beer please?” He quickly asks the bar tender.

  “I got offered the job at CB’s Law Firm, you know the place I had that second interview, the piss easy one?”

  “Yeah, I remember Sweets.”

  “Well, I took it and I couldn’t have been happier, especially because I also got offered the job at Darks Lawyers and I rejected it with pleasure. I then waited for CB’s Law Firm to e-mail me the job offer letter. They did e-mail me, but they retracted their offer - and then, I had Darks Lawyers call me again, double checking I didn’t want the job, but I took it, knowing I need it.”

  “Why do you need it?”

  He looks worried as he stares passively at me with his watery brown eyes - my heart sinks at his affectionate expression.

  “I want to pay my father back, Derek. You know Scarlet, his wife number three', she will go on and on, saying I just want his money and he will eventually believe her.”

  My fathers' wife is a money grabbing bitch with too much effort in trying to become my perfect stepmother.

  “Darling, your dad loves you so stop fretting about that Scarlet woman. She should constantly be dressed in red with her name and agenda!”

  He laughs trying to cheer me up as he grabs the seat to the bar stool I'm sitting on. He starts sliding me closer to him. I almost fall off balance and my heart skips a beat as I stumble. He smiles when he notices my uneasiness. Once he's pleased I'm close enough, he wraps one arm around my shoulder to comfort me. The feeling I get from him and his touch is 'homely', complete comfort from someone who is practically family to me.

  "You are feather light
, Anile, you need feeding." He jokes.

  “Ha, ha, very funny. There is nothing wrong with my weight you cheeky git!" I snigger sarcastic, "I know what you mean about my father though, but it still gets to me how she affects him.”

  “Look, let’s get drunk and talk about all this crap tomorrow morning with a raging hangover, yeah?”

  “Okay, sounds like a plan. Are you staying at mine?”

  “Eh, yes! We can’t all afford fancy apartments on the right side of town Anile.” He jokes.

  "I WANT YOU TO submit yourself to me.” A man's dominating voice commands.

  I turn in the darkness, squinting my eyes to try and see the man's features, but all I can see are compelling lagoon blue eyes that force me to surrender myself.

  “Whatever you want, I'm yours.” I plead.

  He takes my hand, barely holding it with a feather light grip and leads me to a room that I sense is forbidden. I also sense evilness from him, but for some reason, I still want him.

  After floating through a heaven like eternity, on silky gray clouds that caress my naked feet, he suddenly forces me to stop as he tugs on my hand - still not too harsh though, I feel like he's trying to make a lasting impression as he slides his fingers from mine with such delicacy.

  He places a key in my hand and gently closes my fingers around its jagged edges. As I look down at my hand, I'm frustrated that I cannot see anything, it's too dark - all I have is a cold metal sensation pressed against my palm. I unknowingly unlock the door in the darkness, forcing the key to turn with more strokes then necessary, back and forth, back and forth, until finally the door flies open.

  Suddenly, I'm forced with this sinister winter cold feeling that hits me like a ton of bricks. I grit my teeth and hold my breath trying desperately to handle the coldness. As I turn to see what the room is for, I suddenly see death through raging orange flames that illuminate the walls, showing glimpses of ripped old black and white photos.

  “Take off your clothes and stand naked.” He orders as he stands at a distance on the threshold, never entering the room with me.

  For some strange reason, I willingly submit myself to him as I rush to undress from my tattered white nightgown, but I also undress because I'm hot, too hot. The orange flames feel hotter than normal fire, they feel tormenting, like they possess souls and enjoy sadness as they dance around the room - I think they are feeding off of human sadness, off of people that have passed onto the other side, but I cannot be sure, it's just a feeling.

  Once I'm completely naked, panic starts to grip me as I suddenly feel myself melting away. As I search my body in a frenzy, searching for my breasts, belly button and legs, I suddenly see they are disappearing, like sand, endlessly flowing through my fingers, generously pouring onto the black floor in a perfect pile that I cannot touch. I try to stop the sand from slipping away but it's too late, the small mounting is already forming and my fingers are gone. All that is left of me is my bloody distorted face - caused by my tears of blood. I look at myself in a black mirror that has suddenly appeared in front of me. Panic flows through me further while I try to remember what I look like. I touch my bleeding face with what is left of my sandy melting arms, but I cannot see my features under the pools of deep red blood. Everything else is vanishing right before my eyes, even my mind. For some strange reason, I thought he wanted me, to love and care for me, but it seems this master is evil.

  “What have you taken from me?” I scream before I'm completely gone.

  “Everything Anile.” The beautiful voice confesses.

  I STIR FROM MY sleep, trying to escape my nightmare of Mr. Darks, but also because I'm completely wrapped in Derek. I'm too hot - I can feel sweat dripping from every inch of my body, pooling in my neck, I think because of my terrifying dream. I lay quiet for a few seconds, trying to come to terms with my dark memory of my hands turning into bloody sand. I feel terrified - I need to put this out of my mind, now! I try to push Derek off of me, in hope that I can gather myself from the natural coolness of my apartment, but he doesn’t budge.

  “Derek, wake up, you are squishing me!” I beg as I try to push his heavy back.

  “Anile, go lay on the floor.” He says sleepily, thrashing his hands in the air.

  “Oi, you cheeky monkey, wake up!” I admonish. I grab my glass of water from the sideboard that is pushed too close to my sofa. I generously flick specks over him, insuring I get his face. He jumps to his feet looking like hell in only his Chino jeans. I smile with pity as I watch him; he no longer has watery brown eyes, they are red and rummy. I suddenly notice how cool the water is while my fingers are still submerged into the glass. I start trickling the water over my face and chest, relishing in the refreshing cool sensation that I so desperately need as I lay back down. While looking up at Derek, uncharacteristically recognizing his ripped tummy muscles - how he keeps in shape is beyond me, he doesn't even go to a gym - I wonder how he looks so good, even in his current state. His hair is too messy and his lips are too dry - but still full. I look like crap - well I'm wearing dated old grey pyjamas with holes in the knees, but still, he is hardly wearing couture!

  “You have got to be kidding me, it's five in the morning Anile.” He moans as he checks his watch.

  I quickly peer up to acknowledge the dawn that is upon us, looking out of my Victorian window, witnessing the beautiful pink to orange sun on the horizon, forcing its way through the darkness. I smile knowing it is pretty early.

  “Sorry but you were completely covering me and I was baking up.” I say sweetly.

  He smiles fondly as he falls back on my sofa, awkwardly pulling me into his arms.

  "Careful, you'll knock the water everywhere!" I say holding the glass firmly in the air as he bounces trying to get comfy.

  "Here," he says as he gently takes it from my hands and places it on the carpet.

  “Last night was mental wasn’t it?” He asks full of amusement. He rests his warm face against mine, squishing me further into the sofa - I'm stuck on the inside.

  “To be honest, I don't really remember anything - only flashes before I was too out of it.”

  He laughs at my almost erased memory. He thrashes his hand endlessly through my tangled hair trying to tease me. I swot his hard naked chest, trying to stop him and notice he is as sweaty as I am. Yuk! I repeatedly wipe my hand down my pyjamas, knowing I'm not in need of more sweat!

  “Anile, you had every man eating out of your hands, and you got on the bar dancing!” He refreshes my memory - I cringe at the thought.

  “I have no idea what came over me.”

  I gently place my hands over my heating face as I remember my outrageous dancing, and at my forcing Jake - the bar tender - to play, Jennifer Lopez, Play, on repeat. Oh my God!

  “You know, for a sweet little virgin, you are very alluring; you had all the guys dancing with you, you even pulled a few on the bar!”

  I smack his arm play fighting urging him to stop as I mentally cringe further. I honestly cannot take anymore of my allusive memories.

  "Shut up! That's too embarrassing Derek!" I say as I slowly shrink into my arms, “that's why I don't ever drink, I have no idea what happens to me."

  “Well I like you drunk, you are much fun.”

  "Someone has to I suppose." I joke.

  "Anile, everyone who meets you falls in love with you, so I will have no more of that. Are you ready for some more shut eye? I really am tired and I don't do five a.m. wake up calls, not even for you!"

  "You read my mind. We should go lay in my bed Derek, this sofa is too small - I have no idea how we fit on here."

  "This sofa is fine, I'll have it if you no longer want it - this sixteenth century French look will go great in my studio apartment."

  "I was not mocking my sofa, or my decoration, Derek, I was simply saying this is meant for sitting, not sleeping." I jokingly force as I sit up and stare at him with my elbow leaning on his side.

  "I'm good here, I honestly cannot be asked to move.
"

  I smile as I gently place a chaste kiss on his cheek - he needs to shave, his stubble almost makes my lips swell.

  "Are you sure you don't want to jump in my bed? You will get a better night's sleep."

  "Anile, Sweetie, I'm good here, I promise." He whispers as he squishes my favourite netted pillow into his cute face.

  I get to my feet feeling my body tremble with my apocalyptic hangover, and sleepily drag myself to my comfy warm king-size bed, thankful for the memory foam that hugs my back as I again fall into the land of dreams.

  THE WEEKEND PASSES SLOWLY; Derek and I stay horizontal for the entire time, eating crap food and watching movies, 9/12 weeks to Basic Instinct. We shut the curtains to get the full effect of a lazy weekend, and have not seen a glimmer of sunlight for almost two days. This is what I love the most about Derek, he wants exactly what I want in life and I came to the realization that it's bizarre that we are not together. I know I could have him in every way, he has told me plenty of times that I'm his dream girl, but I worry it would ruin our friendship if I tried to have something with him and failed, so I stop my human programmed desires.

  My affection grows for him daily though, especially how concerned he is for me. He notices the small things. He keeps asking me about my dreams, saying I moan and fidget more than usual in bed, but I don't want to speak about them - they are haunting me and I refuse to re-live them while I'm awake. Since my interview, I've dreamed of Mr. Darks every damn night. Every dream he takes something from me, whether it be clothing or my body parts, but I surrender myself to him every time nonetheless. I feel like my dreams are dark, deranged and overwhelming. Regardless of the nightmares, I still cannot shift this lustrous feeling I have for Mr. Darks. I should probably talk to Derek or someone about them, surely they mean something? But as usual, I opt for the easy option; by trying to put my dark thoughts aside and enjoy my last few days being unemployed.